Those seven years living with the community in Shanbei left me with a very mysterious, almost a divine feeling. Since then we’ve had all types of challenges—tests, or when beginning new jobs—but our minds always return to the Shanbei plateau, to those elders overseeing the ox-tilling or the Shaanxi folk tunes. In the rainy wind I’d be in the yaodong (cave-dwelling) with the cut grass, at night I’d go to see the animals and follow them to tend the sheep. No matter the job I’d do it. I’d carry 200 jin of wheat on a ten limountain road without even switching shoulders. […] [Chinese]

200 jin is a massive load (about 243 pounds), and ten li a fair distance (just over 3 miles). Easily bearing one over the other would be almost as impressive as Mao Zedong’s Olympic-beating Yangtze swim in 1966. After watching the CCTV segment, CDT resident cartoonist Badiucao (巴丢草)offered illustrated homage to President Xi’s fabled strength, and a theory on how he might have accomplished such a feat:

Fellow cartoonist Rebel Pepper (辣椒) was also inspired to illustrate a frame from the Liangjiahe Chapters. In his rendering, Xi carries an inflatable bull, almost weightless but conspicuously labeled “200 jin,” in a reference to the Chinese expression “blowing the cow,” (chuī niú 吹牛) meaning to brag or boast: